Another Chance to Live
by Tetsu-roku
Summary: A young man named Rayth lost the most important battle in his life. His opponent gave him Another Chance to Live. Is his new life truly his own, or is someone else controlling it? Chapter 7 is up!
1. Prologue

A/N: Ah, it's so good to be back! I've been so busy with school; I haven't had a chance to get back on. I decided it would be a good idea to get back on. I've noticed that my writing skills have significantly improved, so this will be a good story for my return. Enjoy.

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**_Chapter 1: Prologue_**

My name is Rayth.

You should listen to my story. It's not that it's a life-learning lesson, but rather something that I just have to get out of my system. I want to tell people everything about what happened to me: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I guess the best place to start is at the beginning.

Rain was falling that night. The city lights pierced through the darkness. The neon signs swung slowly as the wind blew a gentle breeze. The black buildings seemed to tower over me. The white castle loomed on the horizon behind me. The steady dripping of rain splashed onto the ground, forming small puddles around my feet.

The black-cloaked figure stood in front of me, facing me. His hood was over his head, so I couldn't really see his face hidden in the shadows. He had a silver zipper that ran from his neck to the bottom of his coat, which hung past his knees. His gloves glistened with raindrops. I wasn't sure, but I had a feeling that, with his height and stance, he looked oddly familiar.

I smirked to myself. Clearly he didn't look like much of a threat. I mean, his look didn't tell me anything about him. I had to admit he had a mysterious aura around him, but I wasn't one to be superstitious. I held my hand towards him and closed my eyes, summoning it with all my might.

It finally appeared, "it" being a Keyblade. I can still recall every minute detail; the small purple handle, the long slender black neck, the three blades making up the end of the structure. I loved every part of it. As I write this, I feel that I should be more respectful and call it by its name… Dragonheart. My pride and joy gleamed with rainwater and the lights from the buildings surrounding us.

I half-expected him to step back, or even flinch. But, to my bewilderment, he started walking towards me. I stepped back in surprise, bringing Dragonheart defensively in front of me. _This guy's nuts,_ I thought. _Who in their right mind would walk towards a Keymaster who is ready to murder?_

He stopped walking. He started running instead.

I gritted my teeth as I watched him carefully. He sprinted through the rain, his feet splashing through the puddles. His right arm was out, hand stretched towards the sky. Like I said before, I couldn't see his face, but I had the feeling his eyes were focused onto me.

A few seconds before running into me, his hand started to sparkle with light. He brought his hand down upon my Keyblade, which I had thrust up at him defensively. But it wasn't his hand that came in contact. It was a Keyblade. I stared in disbelief. But what really made my jaw drop was that his Keyblade looked exactly like mine.

Lightning streaked across the sky. During that flash of light, I could see the lower half of his face. His mouth was grinning at me.

With a shout, I pushed my Keyblade towards him as I thrust myself back. "Who are you to have a Keyblade like mine?" I forced at him.

His answer was another attempt to attack.

As before, he slashed in the same manner; from upper right to lower left. I thrust my Keyblade up at him in the same way, blocking his attack. He immediately brought it back and swung at my left side. I tilted my Keyblade further to the left and jumped back. I continued to block all his attacks, which were surprisingly simple techniques that even a child could master.

Then it happened. As he charged at me for the umpteenth time, I started running at him, a different strategy than the defensive one I had used before. As the distance was closing, I brought my weapon over my right shoulder. I swung down, but hit only air.

He had disappeared.

My initial reaction was to look around, but I thought otherwise. For the first time in ages, I had felt fear. Not that average fear of being afraid of spiders, but a threatening and nightmarish kind that twists your insides, giving you the feeling to throw up. My breathing grew heavier as my heart raced faster than before. I could feel the adrenaline in my veins flying at top speed. My eyes darted frantically from the building to the soaked ground.

The pain was unimaginable.

It shot through me like a knife, slicing through my body, carving my insides. In horror, I looked down. I didn't know what to expect, but what I saw was beyond me.

His Keyblade.

I cried out in pain. The world started spinning, city lights hurting my eyes. The only sound I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat, slowing down drastically. I could feel bile rising in my throat. As it poured through my mouth, I realized it wasn't bile.

It was blood. My blood.

I felt my body drop to the ground. It felt like lead falling from the sky. It fell with a sickening thud that still chills me today. Though my eyes were open, I could no longer see. A voice whispered in my ear. "You want to live?"

I couldn't move my head. _Yes_, I thought desperately. _There's no way I can die. Not now…_

As if he could hear my thoughts, I could feel him grin. Not see, feel. "You were a worthy opponent." I could feel him roll his eyes. "You deserve another chance to live."

_So I can kill you again._

A glimmer of light appeared in my sight. I could feel it get brighter. The light became too intense for me to handle, and I felt myself close my eyes. I screamed inside, wondering what he meant by 'another chance to live'.

The light dimmed. I realized that I would find out soon enough...


	2. Awakening

A/N: Welcome back to the next chapter of Another Chance to Live. Unbelievably, I received a review a few minutes after I posted the first chapter.

**_LV-Chan_**: I'm so glad you like the story! The first chapter was the background for Rayth. I just need to post his appearance, that's all. As for the other characters that'll be in this story… you'll just have to read on.

So, without further ado, here's the second chapter of Another Chance to Live.

Chapter 2: Awakening

My eyes snapped open. The ceiling fan blew soft gusts of wind, rustling my spiky black hair. Light shone through the windows, bringing warmth to the room. The bedside clock was ticking quietly. Each second that passed felt like an hour before I sat up.

Looking around, I learned this: I'm in a girl's bedroom. The bedspread was of a pink color with hearts stitched all over. A pillow of some sort of star-shaped fruit was thrown into the back corner. Clothes spewed from the open overstuffed closet, leaving a large pile of similar skirts and shirts. Even the walls were painted pink.

I stood up and looked down at myself, grinning. "I sure as hell don't fit in with this room," I joked to myself. My dark purple eyes were slightly hidden from my hair. I wore a large black trench coat over my skin-tight purple shirt. The blue gloves I received from Mother several years ago were still on my hands. My baggy dark blue pants were held up by a brown belt with a skull belt buckle. Bandages stained with blood were wrapped around my ankles, just above my dark red shoes.

_Where the hell am I?_

I turned my head towards the window and walked towards it. Peering outside, I could tell I was on an island, filled with plants and other houses that looked a lot like huts. Fish were strung along hanging lines, ready to be cooked. Young children were playing outside on the paved roads with a blue and white ball. It looked to be an interesting game. I thought that I might as well learn the game while I'm stuck here.

_Knock knock knock_

I spun around, hearing the tapping of the bedroom door. "Is it okay to come in?" a girl's voice asked. Frantic (and slightly confused), I rushed to the door and slid up against the wall. _If she walks in, she won't see me,_ I thought. _The door will hide me once it opens._

I could've sworn I heard stifled giggling on the other side of the door. The doorknob turned slowly before she thrust the door open. As I recall (as much as I despise remembering), the force of the door was so great… well, you can imagine what happened.

Through the great pain I was put through, I could feel the girl run in and close the door. She laughed when she saw me slide down against the wall onto the floor with a giant nosebleed.

When I could look up, I blinked at her. I could tell she definitely owned this room; her pink tank-top, her white undershirt, her pink skirt…it all matched the room. But what really captivated me were her facial features. She had calm blue eyes with a great sparkle of light in each eye. Her beautiful red-pink hair smoothed evenly to her shoulders. Her lips were of a perfect shape; not too red but red enough, and not too puffy and not too shallow.

Welcome to paradise.

She extended a hand to me. "Here, I'll help you up." She was still grinning.

Humiliated and embarrassed, I took her hand as she pulled me up off the ground. As I steadied myself, I rubbed my nose. Blood ran down my fingers. I looked at the girl, who was eyeing me carefully. _I couldn't be _that _interesting to her… can I?_

She bowed deeply. "I'm sorry about the nosebleed," she apologized. "I'll get some tissues from the bathroom. Be right back." As she opened the door, she turned her head at me and smiled. "By the way, my name's Kairi."

Still humiliated, I nodded. "Rayth." Her smile widened before she left.

I dropped onto the bed, lying on my back. Is this what the man mean by another chance at life? I tried to remember more of what had happened, but it was all a blur to me. I put my hand over my stomach, where he thrust his Keyblade into me. I found myself in disbelief when I couldn't find the wound. I lifted my shirt up and stared in awe. "Not even a scratch," I murmured to myself in awe.

When I looked up, I blushed. The girl named Kairi was staring at me, a quick flash of light in her eyes. The redness in my cheeks felt uncomfortably warm as I quickly pulled down my shirt. She started walking towards me and wiped my nose with the tissues as if she hadn't seen anything. As she used her third tissue, I smiled to myself. _We hardly know each other, yet she treats me like a friend she's known for ages._

She threw away the last tissue as she finished. "There, all better," Kairi chirped. She handed me a mirror. "Take a look." I nodded and looked into it. She was right; the nosebleed was gone.

I smiled as I gave back the mirror. "Thanks," I said with a smile.

Kairi nodded. "It's no big deal," she replied. "It was just a nosebleed." She grinned. "And I'm really sorry about that, slamming the door into your face."

I cocked an eyebrow. "Like that was an accident. I heard you giggling before you did that."

She laughed. "Whatever you say, Rayth." She stood up and headed for the door. "Come on, I'll show you around."

_How did she know? I hadn't told her that I have no idea where I am…_I stood up and followed her out the door and out of the house.

She stopped a few steps away from the porch and turned around, facing me. Kairi put her hands on her hips. "This is Destiny Islands," she informed me. "A world for those who have an exciting destiny ahead of them. The island we're on now is the main island. Shops, markets, houses, a school, even a blitzball stadium; it's all on this island."

I interrupted her. "Wait, blitzball?"

Kairi nodded. "It's a famous sport that's played in a water sphere. There are six players: three forwards, two defenders, and a goalie. The object is to score the most points by kicking the ball into the opponent's goal box. Make sense?"

I nodded. "Show me the stadium."

Kairi looked at me, slightly surprised. "I guess the other island can wait for now," she replied. "Follow me."

She started running. I followed. I was actually surprised to see her run faster than me; I had a hard time keeping up with her. Sweat started running down my forehead into my eyes, blinding me. I took the bottom of my shirt and wiped the sweat away.

After what seemed like forever, we arrived at the stadium. It was quite big; the round metal stadium stretched a quarter-mile long. It was dome-shaped at the top. I had a feeling it was for the water sphere that the players swam in. I started walking towards it, mesmerized by the beauty and intrigue I felt towards it.

"The doors are over here, if you want to look inside."

I spun around. Kairi started walking towards the stadium entrance, smiling at me. I sighed, feeling myself blush again, and followed her inside.

It looked just as amazing on the inside as it did on the outside. Rows upon rows of seats made up the walls of the stadium. Four giant cannons were placed on the north, south, east, and west ends of the stadium. The water sphere captivated me the most.

"How does the water stay up there?" I asked Kairi.

She shrugged. "It's beyond me," she replied sadly. She glanced over at me and smirked. "You expect me to be some kind of engineer?"

I shook my head wildly.

That's when I noticed a few boys walking towards us.

One of the shorter boys had spiked brown hair and blue eyes. He wore an open white t-shirt with a yellow border along the ends. His blue pants were uneven; his left pants leg was shorter than the other leg. Another boy had a strange red-head hairstyle that seemed to curve upwards towards the front. He wore a pale yellow tunic and blue wristbands. His yellow bellbottom pants had a large 'X' design on each leg. The third boy had spiked blue-gray hair that curved downwards that partly covered his ice-blue eyes. He wore a yellow and white vest over a black undershirt and a large white bandage over his left wrist. His baggy blue jeans were held up by a thin black belt. The last boy had brown hair that spiked in all directions and blue-grey eyes. He had on a strange black jacket with silver shoulder pads over a dark blue undershirt and wore a necklace with a crown on his neck. His black pants were held up with yellow belts and had large red pockets. His gloves were black with silver and yellow bands.

Kairi smiled. "Hey guys, how's practice?"

The short boy shrugged. "Fine, I guess," he replied. "Could've been better. Right, Wakka?"

The redhead named Wakka nodded. "That's right. Tidus wasn't doing too hot in the pool, ya?"

As Tidus frowned and looked away, the grey-haired one spoke. "Practice was fine. As usual." There was something about his voice that sent shivers down my spine. _Who is this guy?_

I noticed the last guy size me up. I cocked an eyebrow. "Is there something you don't like?"

"Yeah. You."

Welcome to paradise.


	3. Encounter

A/N: I must apologize for not updating the story. I've been so busy with homework and research projects for school…ugh, it's a horrible life. Anyways, I'm back in action and ready to post the next chapter of the story.

**Ardonius-Servant-Of-Zeta**: It is quite ironic, isn't it?

**Brightshadow 5**: Sora's already been introduced. Riku will make an appearance later in the story.

**Tetsusgirlfriend**: -sighs- You need to get more patience. Here. -hands over a jar full of patience-

Before I begin, I would like to say that there will be two new characters coming into play in this chapter (Thanks, Tetsusgirlfriend. You're the best ). I've been thinking a lot about adding more custom characters like these two, but I haven't decided yet. If you think it's a good idea, put it in your review. Anyways, let's start the third chapter of Another Chance to Live. Enjoy.

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**Chapter 3: Encounter**

"That kid's got a problem. Honestly, he does."

"Oh, stop it Rayth. Sora was probably in a cranky mood."

Kairi and I returned to her house after my little encounter with the guys. I knew first impressions were usually wrong, but I had little trouble convincing me otherwise. Something didn't seem right, the way Sora was looking at me. I bet he sensed something about me that I had overlooked, though it seemed very unlikely.

I was pacing around her room, throwing my arms around like a crazed maniac, whining to my new friend. As I turned around for the umpteenth time, the bright glare of the sun surprised me, causing me to stumble into her desk. Pushing myself straight on the chair, I sighed with a slight blush. "Cranky mood? Yeah… right."

Kairi frowned and placed her hands on her hips. "Blitzball practice can go bad, you know," she argued in reply.

I sighed with more emphasis as I strolled towards her. "The way he was looking at me… let's just say his practice wasn't bad." I seemed to tower over her; my shadow seemed to engulf her.

We stared at each other for a long time before Kairi turned and opened the door. Slightly irritated, I strode swiftly towards her, my hands outstretched. "Where are you going?" I asked.

She turned towards me and glared. "Why do you beat down on everyone?" she asked in reply. This caught me by surprise; I didn't expect that kind of answer. When she picked up on my silence, she continued. "Sora's been sour since he lost his most prized possession. And that they had lost the blitzball tournament last year and came in last place." Her voice grew slightly louder. "Perhaps you should pay attention to what you say. Just because Sora says something mean like that, which is entirely different from his normal behavior I should add, it doesn't give you the right to talk behind his back." With the flick of her hair, she strode boldly outside and shut the door behind her in my face.

I stood there speechless. What she said made quite a bit of sense; I do have a tendency to talk behind people's backs. But her explosion made me feel quite uncomfortable… and slightly depressed. Here I was, a very beautiful girl in my line-of-sight… and I ticked her off. Big time.

A few minutes went by before I slumped down onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like forever. Thoughts swirled in my head. _That man in the black cloak… who was he? Why did he save me at the last possible moment?_ My eyes softened as my gaze lowered to the bottom-left. _Kairi… She's the first person I met, and she's mad at me…_

Suddenly, there was a loud splash outside. I snapped out of my thoughts and jumped for the window, peering out of it. A small group of kids were on a dock, staring intently at the water. Ripples from where the splash was turned into waves as they crashed on the beach silently. I thrust the bedroom door opened and dashed down the stairs towards the entrance.

"Where are you going?"

I stopped in mid-stride and peeked over my right shoulder. Kairi was standing there, hands on hips like before, her right eyebrow cocked. I narrowed my gaze. "There was a splash outside, and a bunch of kids are there."

Kairi's hardened eyes softened, tearing slightly. "No, not again," she whispered before taking my hand and dashing out the door. I tried to keep up, hoping my feet wouldn't do something stupid to trip me.

I chuckled nervously. "Umm… you're not still… mad at me… are you?"

Kairi glanced past her shoulder at me. "Wrong." I sighed.

We turned the corner and dashed for the docks. She led me up some steps and rushed towards the nearest kid. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but that wasn't concerning me; Everyone's eyes were glued onto me. Even now, I still don't know why they did that. Perhaps it was because of my clothing. Or maybe it was because I was a strange face. But I was sure that it made me feel slightly uncomfortable.

Kairi jogged towards me, but she wasn't alone. He was really tall, perhaps 6'1", and his jet-black hair was pulled back into a long braid. His eyes were a golden color mixed with amber; quite a combination. He was of a medium build; not skinny, but not muscular. He wore a black wife-beater with the words "Careful, I'm trigger-happy", black baggy pants, and combat boots. _His favorite color has got to be black._ On his left hip was a gun fitting nicely into the holster. But what I really noticed was the curved golden dagger on his right hip. The dull part of the blade was perfectly straight, but the cutting edge was morphed into different shapes, perfect for making several cuts in one slash. "This is Gunnar," she introduced. "He said that his sister dove into the water, trying to save a young boy who had fallen in." What struck me speechless was that Kairi was gazing up at him admirably. "Isn't that right?" Gunnar nodded slowly, glancing over at Kairi with soft eyes.

_Oh brother._

Suddenly, another splash was heard. All eyes, including mine, gazed at the figure that had leapt out of the water and landed on the deck. She wasn't very tall; she was much shorter than me. Her bluish-black hair was pulled back into a similar braid like Gunnar's, but in a more feminine way. Her eyes were also the same shade as Gunnar's; a golden-amber mix. She was of an hourglass build, and it seemed quite… sexy. She wore a dripping-wet black tank top, revealing her bellybutton. Her black pants were covered in chains with water dripping off of them and, like Gunnar, wore combat boots. But the most unique thing about her was the crescent moon birthmark on her forehead. There was a blue whip coiled on the back of her pants as well.

She put the boy, who was shaking like mad, onto one of the dock pillars. "You're safe now," she whispered into his ear. I couldn't hear what else she was saying, but it made the young boy blush furiously. She smiled and stood up, ignoring all the guys who were staring at her with a passion. Kairi walked over with a smile. "You did it again, Saphera," she congratulated. Gunnar scoffed.

Big mistake.

The girl named Saphera smiled sweetly and closed in on Gunnar. Her eyes seemed to flash anger as she grabbed the scruff of his shirt and hurled him into the water, which was immediately followed by a huge splash.

Kairi chuckled nervously as Saphera brushed her hands together. "Don't worry," Saphera assured her. "He'll be fine." She glanced at the water's surface and smiled. "That's what siblings do." Kairi nodded as the girl swept past her, flinging the dripping water from her braid everywhere. "It's a shame there isn't a guy around who's like my brother."

She walked past me, and I noticed her take an impossibly quick glance at me. She stopped and turned around slowly. I did the same and watched her size me up. Suddenly, she blushed and quickly turned and strode away quickly.

I stepped back towards Kairi, my gaze still on Saphera. "What's her problem?" I asked.

She chuckled. "That's Saphera, Gunnar's older sister," she informed me. "They're the two newest recruits to the island. Aside from you, that is. They're so popular because Gunnar is such a heartthrob, and Saphera's an ice queen.

"All the guys have a crush on her, but she dismisses them like they were dogs. But you made her blush." She turned her head and grinned. "I think she likes you."


	4. Visit

**_Chapter 4: Visit_**

"You can't possibly believe that… Can you?"

Kairi giggled.

"You're impossible."

After Saphera had left, I stood there in wonder… and confusion. Life hadn't been very easy on me since I was born, and I was constantly busy, trying to make my life as smooth as I could get it. I guess I hadn't thought of it until now.

I never had time for girls.

Kairi walked away, Gunnar right behind her. He poked her shoulder and quickly ducked towards her opposite shoulder. She spun towards the poke, and continued spinning until Gunnar was trapped in her gaze. She gave a playful shove and continued on her way, twirling her fingers playfully in her hair. I scoffed. Kids these days. Who could blame them?

But I couldn't talk. I had seen Saphera blush at me. And I blushed right back. Me, blushing. I never thought it possible until it actually happened.

Sighing, I decided to take a walk through the small town, doing a little sightseeing. The small houses looked almost like cottages, with eye-pleasing colored tiles and brown roof tiles. Each house had a chimney perched high. Seagulls flew overhead, flapping their wings as if time was crawling to a stop. The sun was starting to set behind me, casting a large shadow in front of me. It landed on a cat, which was just about to take a catnap. Seeing the sudden darkness, it meowed loudly and scurried off. I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing as I continued my stroll through the village.

As I took a left, there was a strange presence behind me. It felt… familiar. My hair started to stand on end, goose bumps appearing on my arms as shivers were sent through my spine. My eyes widened slightly, though I didn't seem to notice. I could've sworn it was getting darker. Then I realized it.

It was Him.

I slowly held my hand out, taking quiet deep breaths. As I summoned my Keyblade, I spun around, holding it in front of me in a defensive pose.

It was definitely Him. He was wearing his black cloak, his hood drawn, hiding his face. His gloves gave off a strange glow; I couldn't tell if it was from the sunlight or the dark abyss behind him. But something was different about him. His coat was ripped slightly at the arms and legs. I could see his slightly tan skin. And his boots were torn to the point of no return. It was as if a rabid cat got a hold of them.

Before I could threaten him, he stepped forward without a Keyblade. I pointed Dragonheart at him. "What are you doing here?" I asked him. "And why did you give me a second chance?"

If I could see his face, he would be smirking. He picked up his pace as he reached into his pocket. I tightened my grip on my Keyblade. He halted. "Don't be so uptight, Rayth," he assured me, slight amusement in his voice. "You of all people shouldn't be so high strung."

I gritted my teeth, hate filling my eyes. "Perhaps you should say that to my face instead of half a block away," I threatened. A mix of fear and burning hatred took hold of me, wondering what this guy would do next.

He shook his head and shrugged, holding his hands up at the same time. "Teenagers. What can you expect?" I noticed the hand in his pocket was twitching as if trying to find something. I cocked my eyebrow slightly, wondering what he could possibly be looking for. _It could be anything,_ my mind told me. _Scrolls, a small weapon, even a book. What could it be?_

As I pondered this question, I hadn't realized he had gotten right in front of me. Snapping back to reality, I jumped back, a small yelp escaping my throat. He laughed. "He's a daydreamer, all right." He suddenly reached for my shoulder. The action caused me to fall backwards onto the ground, my heart pumping rapidly. He kneeled over and titled his head sideways as if he was trying to calm me. "Don't you remember me?"

I shook my head. Was I supposed to remember him? I tried to pick through my memories, from the time I arrived here to my childhood. I desperately tried to find the answer to his question, but shook my head, admitting my defeat.

I could sense a frown, and a feeling of disappointment coming from him. "Very well," he replied sadly as he straightened up. "Perhaps another day." He thrust out his hand and opened up a large dark portal. He turned to face me and bowed, walking into the portal at the same time. The darkness overtook him and the portal evaporated.

I sat there on the ground, dumbfounded as to what had just happened. Meeting him again made me think, which is totally out of the ordinary for me (If you couldn't tell, I'm the kind of guy who 'leaps before looking'). What if I really did know him, but just forgot? What kind of person was he when I remembered him; the same as he is now, or more kind and gentle? What if I did something to him that made him this way?

I sighed heavily, realizing that these thoughts were just questions without answers. Maybe they'd come someday, maybe they won't. As I stood up to brush myself off, the light from the sun started to dim. Glancing up, I noticed that day was leaving; the sun was setting. Sighing again, I continued my walk around the village.

Lights started to glow from inside the houses, almost giving me the feeling that I was home again. Almost. There was a faint aroma of grilled fish coming from inside one of the houses. Trying to get away without gagging too much (I can't stand the smell of grilled fish, let alone any kind of fish), I managed to find Kairi's house. Smiling to myself, I strode a bit faster until I was a few feet away from the door.

That's when I realized that someone was following me.

It wasn't the same person as before, but I could still feel my heart beat faster. I glanced down towards my feet, hoping to find the shadow of this person. It was then that I felt completely stupid.

_Light in front of you means shadows behind you._

I slowly turned around, wondering what it was that was following me. The trees rustled in the wind, seagulls flew overhead, the faint aroma of fish… Aside from me plugging my nose, nothing was out of the ordinary.

Feeling stupid, I turned around with a smile (still holding my nose) and opened the door. _Maybe it was just my imagination,_ I thought as I closed the door behind me. _Perhaps the meeting with him was just too much for me._

The man hidden in the trees smiled to himself as he disappeared into the shadows once again...


	5. Nightmare

**_Chapter 5: Nightmare_**

Stepping through the door, I could immediately smell the aroma of fish. I believe this is the first time I ever mentioned my loathing of fish. I started breathing through my mouth, and it was much harder to notice the smell. Feeling better, I made my way to the living room, where Kairi was sitting on the couch.

Her hair was dripping wet, and her clothes seemed fresh. She sat back deep into the couch, seeming quite comfortable. Her eyes smiled as she took notice of my presence. "How's it goin', stranger?"

I sat down beside her and leaned back with a sigh. "Fair, I guess," I answered. She smiled and looked back at the television. I felt pretty stupid. Here she was, just out of the shower, smelling nice and fresh, while I've been outside all day, sweating it out against Him. Literally. If I did smell nasty, she was doing a good job of hiding it.

"How was your walk?"

I hesitated, almost telling her about the encounter with Him and the sense of being watched before I opened the door. "Nothing much happened," I replied with a shrug. "It was kinda refreshing to see the island." Which was a lie, considering that I almost died on the way here.

But she bought it. "Dinner's almost done," she stated. "How do you like your fish?"

I didn't answer.

"What, you don't like fish?"

No reply from me.

She cocked an eyebrow and sighed heavily. "Fine, there's some extra paupu fruits from a few nights ago you can have." Kairi stood up and trudged to the kitchen, preparing the fish for herself. I felt pretty bad; she must've wanted me to taste her cooking.

But fish was fish; I couldn't eat it, let alone smell it. I stood up as well, and turned towards her. "I'll take a shower," I told her. "Feel all sweaty."

I couldn't tell if she was relieved that I was going to smell much better than I was now, or glad that she didn't have to deal with me for twenty minutes or so. "Go ahead. Shower's upstairs, second door on the left."

I nodded my thanks as I walked briskly upstairs. A few random stairs creaked as I made my way up. I took note of this, in case I needed to sneak out for something. Which I was hoping I wouldn't have to.

I opened the door to the bathroom and gaped. The room was pink. As in, 100 pink. The wallpaper was made up of pink flowers over a lighter pink background. The ceiling was painted the same pink as the background of the walls, and the toilet and sink were pink. Heck, even the showerhead was pink. I felt totally out-of-place; black clothes in a pink room definitely do not go together. It was like a bat fluttering its wings through a Barbie convention.

Trying not to feel weird (I can't really describe the feeling. It just felt so… different… to be in such a pink room.), I shut the door and started getting undressed. Once my coat and belt were off, I reached for the shower knob and turned it just before Hot. Water suddenly sprayed from the showerhead. Steam started to rise from the tub; I could feel its warmth just before I was able to undo my belt.

Finally, with all my clothes in a heap near the door, I stepped inside the shower and winced. I didn't expect the shower to be that hot (I was literally diving for the shower knob to change the temperature.). Once the shower started cooling down, I let out a sigh of relief and wet my hair, which hung in strands that covered my eyes completely.

About five minutes into my personal cleaning paradise, I thought I heard a scream. I turned off the shower and yanked the shower curtain back (which, I am sad to say, was pink) to listen.

_Thump_

I took a towel that hung from the rack near the door and quickly dried myself off. Though my hair was still soaking wet, I wrapped the towel around my waist and opened the door. Something told me that someone was in the house. An unwanted someone. I stepped towards the stairs, toes before heel, and strained to listen.

_Thump_

I gulped. _You better be all right, Kairi,_ I thought as I slowly made my way down the stairs. I skipped the stairs that creaked (Maybe it was a good thing I made a note of it after all.) and leaned over the stairwell to get a better view of the kitchen. What I saw made my mouth drop.

The kitchen was ransacked. It was as if someone painted everything in the room red before letting an angry bull loose. Shattered glass littered the floor and the countertops. The fish was clearly destroyed; it stank up the room, lying in the sink. The fridge door was open all the way, most of the food and drinks on their sides. Some of the drawers were gone, which I couldn't understand why.

I stepped through the mess, wearing only a towel that I had to hold up (The shock of seeing the kitchen in such a state seemed to have loosened it, which would definitely give the female readers a nice image. If their minds were in the gutter, of course.), completely confused as to what had happened. I tried not to step on the glass as I started to clean up. Suddenly, something broke under my foot. I lifted my foot up and saw a small something. I bent down and picked it up.

It was a white paper star with yellow and blue points. It had a smiley face on one of the points, and was connected to a chain. As I studied it, I began to realize that there was something odd about it. I shivered as I straightened up.

Wait a second.

I glanced around and noticed something that caught my attention. The kitchen window was opened. The drapes were blowing softly against the wind. Shivering again, I looked out. It was a waste of time; it was too dark to see anything out there.

But I knew that this was the way the thing left from.

Taking Kairi with it…

I rushed upstairs and dressed in the same clothes; I was somewhat relieved that they didn't smell bad. I straightened my belt and landed on the ground floor with one jump. Rushing outside, I looked around in every direction. I gritted my teeth as I was hit with a single thought.

_She isn't coming back…_

I dashed through the streets towards Saphera and Gunnar's house. Maybe they could help out. Then it hit me again.

_I have no idea where they live._

God, I wish I didn't have such bad luck.


	6. Sadness

**_Chapter 6: Sadness

* * *

_**

I combed the streets left and right, trying to find even the smallest clue as to where the kidnapper went. As I passed the seventh corner, I began to have very disturbing images of Kairi… or what was left of her. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts of such images, and scolded myself to think like that. _Kairi's safe_, I thought to myself.

Then why was she taken from me?

After an hour of searching, I slowly trudged to a bench in the nearby park and slumped down, tears streaming down my cheeks. I continued to tell myself that she was safe, that she wasn't dead. But the more I tried to calm myself, the clearer the disturbing images were.

My mind split and argued with itself. _She was kidnapped_, one side said. _She would've been taken by surprise. She would not have a chance to fight back before the kidnapper took her. If she screamed, I couldn't hear it._

_Then what were all those thumping noises in the kitchen? _the other side argued. _If she didn't have a chance to strike back, why would the kidnapper make such careless noises like that? She may have been able to fight back, but…_

I continued to listen to my mind for what seemed like several minutes, trying to deduct what happened to my dear Kairi. Taking a quick glance at the night sky, I could tell it had been about two hours since I left. _I guess I lost track of time, listening to my mind for an hour instead of a few minutes…_

The light from the moonlight on the ground was disrupted by a large shadow. Not even looking up to see who it was, I muttered, "What?"

"You're a mess, pretty boy."

My head jerked upwards. When I saw who it was, I smiled, wiping the tears from my eyes. "I thought your voice sounded familiar."

Saphera returned the smile and sat beside me. "Seriously, you're a mess." She tilted my head up by my chin with her right hand, checking my condition. "Tell me what happened."

That's exactly what I did. I started the story when I entered the house smelling the fish (dinnertime, remember?), how I heard thumping noises while I was in the shower (she seemed to blush, but it was a little hard to see in the night), and how I rushed outside and combed the streets to find her. I took out the good-luck charm. "I found this on the kitchen floor," I informed her, tears swelling back into my eyes. "I… it's so hard to believe… she was…"

Saphera pouted and gripped my shoulders. "Get a grip, Rayth," she shot back, staring straight into my eyes. It felt very weird, looking back into her glare. I felt both naked and exposed; a very scary combination that could make a muscleman tinkle in his pants. "Just because you found this doesn't mean she's dead, all right?"

She glanced away, sighing softly. "Look, if you want to find her, you'll need some help." Her head tilted further away from me. "If… if you want… I'll help…"

The stammer in her voice made me smile. "You're a sweetheart, Saphera," I replied softly. I placed a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at me, a slight blush in her cheeks. "I could use all the help I can get."

Saphera returned the smile very softly. "I know just the person that could help us," she told me. "You remember Gunnar, right?" I nodded. "Well, one of his older friends… he may not look like much, but he's definitely someone you want on your side."

I nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about. My mentor, Seth, I always considered a friend. He probably considered me one, too. Always helping me during my times of need... _What happened, Seth? Why aren't you helping me now?_

My memories were interrupted when she held out her hand. She was already standing up, the other hand on her hip. "Don't make me ask you again," she muttered, a slight edge in her voice.

Even though I don't remember her asking me something, I knew what she wanted. I took her hand, and she pulled me up. I chuckled softly, noting that she was several inches shorter than me, and I had to look down upon her. She craned her head up and smiled.

At that moment, I felt my heart skip a beat.


	7. Existence

_**Chapter 7: Existence**_

It was hard trying to keep up with Saphera. She broke out into a full-sprint to the east gate like her pants were on fire. And who knows? Maybe they were. I, on the other hand, felt like a slug. I was tired from searching the island for any sign of Kairi, and nothing good came out of it. Worse, I hadn't a clue if she wasn't hurt. I prayed that whatever took her didn't lay a finger on her.

As we left the park, Saphera took a sharp left and bolted down the street.

I felt my lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. It had been a while since I ran like this, and the lack of exercise since I awoke here took its toll on me. Sharp knives slashed at my muscles. All I could do was to gulp the sweet night air.

My vision suddenly became blurry. I wasn't sure if it was because of my sweat pouring from my forehead… or something else. It was harder to see Saphera. I tried to call out to her, tell her to stop and wait. But my mouth was too dry; it was as dry as a desert.

Without warning, my mind shut down, and I fell to the ground.

* * *

I found myself gazing into darkness. It was all around me. Light was absent from where I was. The cold nipped at my skin, but I wasn't complaining.

Suddenly, a bright light burst out of the ground. I covered my eyes from the sudden event, hoping it wouldn't blind me.

When I thought it was okay to look, I lowered my arms obscuring my gaze and glanced down. It looked like stained glass. The entire floor was a dark purple color, reminding me of the color of plums. A large depicture of a hooded figure was in the middle, looking a lot like Him. Three large circles were in the upper part of the glass, depicting a character in each. I couldn't believe who were in the three circles. The one on the left showed Kairi's face. The one on the right was Saphera, and the one in the middle… was me.

My mind was racing as hundreds of questions came to my mind. What were our faces doing there? What was this place? How'd I get here? Suddenly, nothing made sense anymore.

I began to question my own past, my own existence. Memories flooded through me as if to answer. _My first keyblade… my first bounty... my first love…_ I couldn't understand anything. These memories seemed so foreign to me. Are they truly my memories? As if to answer, a horrifying thought filled my mind.

Was I ever meant to exist?

I suddenly fell to my knees, shaking uncontrollably. I pounded the stained-glass floor with hardened fists countless times before giving up. Tears ran down my cheeks. I wiped them away with my sleeve, but they just kept coming back. I decided not to hide it anymore; I screamed, I cried, I yelled at the top of my lungs. Without even realizing it, my body collapsed to the floor. But I knew why.

My mind was trying to find the answer to the question.

Still shivering, I tried to collect my thoughts. There was a reason as to why I was brought here, though I hadn't the faintest idea what this reason was. It had to be mere coincidence; perhaps all this was a dream. It was the perfect answer, regardless as to if it was right or not. I tried not to think anymore, but my mind continued on.

The hooded figure in the middle… it had to be Him. He was the one who gave me this new "life". Perhaps he had the power to control it… Yes, He brought me here. But why? To torture me? To see how I would react to all this?  
Then a thought hit me. Was he able to put questions into my mind? It would most certainly make sense; I had never questioned my existence before now. He held the power, and I was playing his little game.

I forced myself up and exhaled slowly. Not knowing why, I shouted into the darkness, "Come out, you coward!"

As if to answer, the floor shook. Hard. I couldn't keep my balance and fell hard to the ground once again. The shaking continued with more power, more intensity. I was beginning to wonder if this truly was a dream.

Then, to my surprise, the floor tilted sharply. My body jerked and slid down the tilted floor. _What the hell…?_

I closed my eyes as my feet were only inches from the edge, hoping for the best to come out of this. To be honest, I didn't think I would fall. I believed I would wake up from this nightmare, and it would all be over.

But it didn't happen. The floor shook violently once more, and my body was hurled over the edge.

I screamed as I fell into the dark abyss below me. I tried to grab at the darkness, hoping that something would come out of nowhere and save me. But nothing did.

As I fell into my own despair, I heard a faint laugh in the distance. A thought exploded in my mind.

If this truly was a game, then He had won.

...Game over, Rayth.


End file.
